Don't Stop (Fleetwood Mac song)
Encyclopedia
"Don't Stop" is a song by the rock group Fleetwood Mac
, written by vocalist and keyboard
player Christine McVie
. Sung by Christine McVie and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham
, it was a single taken from the band's 1977 hit album, Rumours
. It is one of the band's most enduring hits, peaking at number three on the Billboard
singles chart. In the UK market, "Don't Stop" followed "Go Your Own Way" as the second single from Rumours and it peaked at #32. In the U.S, it was the third single released, and peaked at #3 in October 1977.
, after eight years of marriage. "'Don't Stop' was just a feeling. It just seemed to be a pleasant revelation to have that 'yesterday's gone'," she remembers in The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, "It might have, I guess, been directed more toward John, but I'm just definitely not a pessimist."
as the theme for his first campaign, most notably at the 1992 Democratic National Convention
. Upon winning the election, President Clinton persuaded the then-disbanded group to reform to perform it for his inaugural ball in 1993. At the 2000 DNC
, he ended his speech by saying, "Keep putting people first. Keep building those bridges. And don't stop thinking about tomorrow!" Immediately after this sentence, the song began playing over the loudspeakers.
The theme was played again for Clinton's appearances at the 2004
and 2008
events.
was included on the 1998 compilation Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.
Status Quo covered the song in their 1996 all cover songs studio album Don't Stop
.
Included as one of the many songs in the The Official BBC Children in Need Medley single
.
Glee
covered the song on their episode "Rumours
" (Season 2, Episode 19).
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
, written by vocalist and keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player Christine McVie
Christine McVie
Christine McVie is an English rock singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Her primary fame came as a member of the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac, though she has also released three solo albums...
. Sung by Christine McVie and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released six solo albums and a live album...
, it was a single taken from the band's 1977 hit album, Rumours
Rumours
Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. Largely recorded in California during 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut and was released on 4 February 1977 by Warner Bros. Records. The record peaked at the top of both the...
. It is one of the band's most enduring hits, peaking at number three on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
singles chart. In the UK market, "Don't Stop" followed "Go Your Own Way" as the second single from Rumours and it peaked at #32. In the U.S, it was the third single released, and peaked at #3 in October 1977.
Background
"Don't Stop" reflects Christine McVie's feelings after her separation from Fleetwood Mac's bass guitarist, John McVieJohn McVie
John Graham McVie is a British bass guitarist best known as a member of the rock group Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of Mick Fleetwood, was the inspiration for the band's name...
, after eight years of marriage. "'Don't Stop' was just a feeling. It just seemed to be a pleasant revelation to have that 'yesterday's gone'," she remembers in The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, "It might have, I guess, been directed more toward John, but I'm just definitely not a pessimist."
Political significance
It was used by U.S. presidential candidate Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as the theme for his first campaign, most notably at the 1992 Democratic National Convention
1992 Democratic National Convention
The 1992 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party nominated Governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas for President and Senator Al Gore of Tennessee for Vice President; Clinton announced Gore as his running-mate on July 9, 1992. The convention was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New...
. Upon winning the election, President Clinton persuaded the then-disbanded group to reform to perform it for his inaugural ball in 1993. At the 2000 DNC
2000 Democratic National Convention
The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore as its candidate for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as its candidate for Vice President. The convention was held at...
, he ended his speech by saying, "Keep putting people first. Keep building those bridges. And don't stop thinking about tomorrow!" Immediately after this sentence, the song began playing over the loudspeakers.
The theme was played again for Clinton's appearances at the 2004
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
and 2008
2008 Democratic National Convention
The United States 2008 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention of the Democratic Party where it adopted its national platform and officially nominated its candidates for President and Vice President of the United States. The convention was held in Denver,...
events.
Cover versions
A cover by Elton JohnElton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
was included on the 1998 compilation Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.
Status Quo covered the song in their 1996 all cover songs studio album Don't Stop
Don't Stop (Status Quo album)
Don't Stop is the twenty-second studio album by English rock band Status Quo. The album of cover versions includes guest appearances from Tessa Niles on tracks 6 and 14, The Beach Boys on track 1, Brian May of Queen fame on track 7 and Maddy Prior of Steeleye Span fame on track 15.Fun, Fun, Fun,...
.
Included as one of the many songs in the The Official BBC Children in Need Medley single
The Official BBC Children in Need Medley
"The Official BBC Children in Need Medley" is a cross-over single by Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band. It is the official Children in Need Single for 2009, and was released on 21 November 2009. The song was shown for the first time on Children in Need 2009. The cover art is a parody of the cover...
.
Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
covered the song on their episode "Rumours
Rumours (Glee)
"Rumours" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 41st overall. The episode was written by series co-creator Ryan Murphy, directed by Tim Hunter, first aired on May 3, 2011 on Fox in the United States, and it features the return of...
" (Season 2, Episode 19).
Appearances in other media
- In the early 1990s, family restaurant/arcade Chuck E. Cheese had a show featuring animatronic characters that "danced" and "played" "Don't Stop".
- The song features in the films AcceptedAcceptedAccepted is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Steve Pink and written by Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, and Mark Perez. The main plot centers around a group of would-be college freshmen who, after being rejected from all the colleges and universities to which they had applied, proceed to create...
(2006) and Definitely, MaybeDefinitely, MaybeDefinitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Adam Brooks, and starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Abigail Breslin and Kevin Kline.-Plot:...
(2008). - This song has featured twice in The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
, in the episodes "The Twisted World of Marge SimpsonThe Twisted World of Marge Simpson"The Twisted World of Marge Simpson" is the eleventh episode of the The Simpsons eighth season, which originally aired January 19, 1997. It was written by Jennifer Crittenden and directed by Chuck Sheetz. The episode guest stars Jack Lemmon as Frank Ormand and Joe Mantegna as Fat Tony...
" and "Brother's Little HelperBrother's Little Helper"Brother's Little Helper" is the second episode of The Simpsons 11th season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 3, 1999. In the episode, Bart floods the school gymnasium, which prompts the school's principal Seymour Skinner to diagnose Bart with ADD...
". - The song appeared in 2009 as a downloadable track for the music video game Rock BandRock BandRock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
. - The song was covered in the GleeGlee (TV series)Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
season 2 episode "RumoursRumours (Glee)"Rumours" is the nineteenth episode of the second season of the American musical television series Glee, and the 41st overall. The episode was written by series co-creator Ryan Murphy, directed by Tim Hunter, first aired on May 3, 2011 on Fox in the United States, and it features the return of...
".